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- The Role of Advertising on Facebook
  by Sheryl Sandberg on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 1:53pm
  At Facebook, everything we do is about making the world more social and creating more personalized experiences. On Facebook, people do everything from remembering their friends' birthdays to reuniting with old classmates to even finding people willing to donate their organs to save their lives. We think making the world more personal and social is having a profound impact on the way we relate to the people, communities and institutions around us.
  
  In a more connected world, advertisers are social too. This gives you the chance to connect to... the companies and brands you like and learn more about their products and services. We believe that more personalized social advertising complements the ways that people use Facebook every day—to discover, share and connect with the people and the world around them.
  
  Whether it's a new car, a local dentist or a t-shirt, many of the things you discover on Facebook come from your friends. Just as advertising has changed the experience of searching on the web, we think advertisers are a meaningful part of the social graph and the online experience as a whole.
  
  We have designed Facebook to provide relevant and interesting advertising content to you in a way that protects your privacy completely. We never share your personal information with advertisers. We never sell your personal information to anyone. These protections are yours no matter what privacy settings you use; they apply equally to people who share openly with everyone and to people who share with only select friends.
  
  We also protect your privacy by virtue of the way our advertising system works. Because our system chooses which ads to show you, we don't need to share any of your personal information with advertisers in order to show you relevant ads. In order to advertise on Facebook, advertisers give us an ad they want us to display and tell us the kinds of people they want to reach. We deliver the ad to people who fit those criteria without revealing any personal information to the advertiser.
  
  The only information we provide to advertisers is aggregate and anonymous data, so they can know how many people viewed their ad and general categories of information about them. Ultimately, this helps advertisers better understand how well their ads work so they can show better ads.
  
  Advertisers can also request that we display ads based on the things you have said you liked in your profile. We think this means you will get ads that are more personalized to your real interests and this makes your experience on Facebook even better. For example, if you are a small business selling tents you might want to target adults ages 18-49 who have liked camping or hiking. Our advertising system only shows the number of people who fit those criteria.
  
  Once the ad runs, we report how many people saw or clicked on the ad and we provide aggregate demographic information. We do not show individual profiles or personal information in our reporting tools.
  
  If you are interested in seeing how this works, you can watch this video:
  
  We have built—and are continuing to grow—a successful advertising business that gives you the opportunity to discover and connect to things you like while respecting your privacy no matter how you choose to share your information. We think an online advertising experience that is social and puts consumers at the center of an ongoing, two-way conversation is better for people and businesses alike.
  
  Sheryl is Facebook's chief operating officer.
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- Topics: Privacy, Advertising
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- Debunking Rumors about Advertising and Photos
  by Barry Schnitt on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 11:42am
  UPDATE on Tuesday, Nov. 24: This rumor about Facebook using your photos in ads without your consent is spreading again. The rumor was not true earlier this year and it is not true now. For more information on Facebook's advertising policies and how we use photos, please take a look at the blog post below.
  
  Published on Friday, July 24
  In the past couple of days, a rumor has begun spreading that claims we have changed our policies for third-party advertisers and the use of your photos. These rumors are false, and we have made no such change in... our advertising policies.
  
  If you see a Wall post or receive a message with the following language or something similar, it is this false rumor:
  
  FACEBOOK has agreed to let third party advertisers use your posted pictures WITHOUT your permission.
  
  The advertisements that started these rumors were not from Facebook but placed within applications by third parties. Those ads violated our policies by misusing profile photos, and we already required the removal of those deceptive ads from third-party applications before this rumor began spreading.
  
  We are as concerned as many of you are about any potential threat to your experience on Facebook and the protection of your privacy. That's why we prohibit ads on Facebook Platform that cause a bad user experience, are misleading, or otherwise violate our policies. Along with removing ads, we've recently prohibited two entire advertising networks from providing services to applications on Facebook Platform because they were not compliant with our policies and failed to correct their practices.
  
  We're committed to remaining vigilant in enforcing our policies to prevent bad ads from appearing on Facebook—whether served by us or a third party. But we also need your help. If you ever see a misleading ad or believe it violates our policies, report it to us.
  
  If it's one of our ads, you can simply click the thumbs-down icon that appears above or below the ad to report it. If the ad is from a third-party application, click the "Report" link at the bottom of the page to report it to the developer and us.
  How We Use Photos
  
  We've run advertisements from our own advertising system for more than a year that let your friends know if you have a direct connection with a product or service, in the same way that your friends learn through your News Feed if you're connected with another friend or an organization's Facebook Page.
  
  These social ads always require that you and your friends have taken an express action to indicate your connections with the product or service and that no data be shared with the third party.
  
  Barry, manager of policy communications at Facebook, likes checking the facts.
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- Topics: Photos, Advertising
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- Improving Transparency Around Privacy
  by Elliot Schrage on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:24pm
  UPDATE on Thursday, Nov. 5: The comment period for the proposed privacy policy is now complete. While the total number of comments did not reach the threshold to hold a vote, we did receive a lot of good feedback. In the coming days, we'll be reading your comments more closely, and we'll keep you informed on our next steps through status updates from the Facebook Site Governance Page. Thank you all for your participation.
  
  UPDATE on Monday, Nov. 2: The proposed privacy policy now includes the TRUSTe certification seal, which reflects TRUSTe's... approval of the policy. Please comment on the proposed policy here by 12:00 p.m. PST on Nov. 5.
  
  Starting today, Facebook's privacy policy is available for your review and comment. This is the next step in our ongoing effort to run Facebook in an open and transparent way. In April, we launched a new system of governance for the Facebook site and became the first company to our knowledge that invites users to both comment and vote on proposed changes to its governing policies.
  
  At the time, we also introduced a new policy document — our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. This document avoids the legal jargon that most sites typically put in their "terms of service." It articulates the mutual relationship and shared obligations between Facebook and its users as clearly and plainly as possible. We received excellent feedback from many of you over the course of a two-week comment period.
  
  We now are doing the same with our privacy policy. Our primary goals remain transparency and readability, which is why we've used plain language and included numerous examples to help illustrate our points. For example, here is how we explain users' options for modifying or deleting information or content in the current privacy policy on the site:
  
  When you update information, we usually keep a backup copy of the prior version for a reasonable period of time to enable reversion to the prior version of that information. ...
  ... Even after removal, copies of User Content may remain viewable in cached and archived pages or if other Users have copied or stored your User
  Content. ...
  Access and control over most personal information on Facebook is readily available through the profile editing tools. Facebook users may modify or delete any of their profile information at any time by logging into their account. Information will be updated immediately. Individuals who wish to deactivate their Facebook account may do so on the My Account page. Removed information may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time but will not be generally available to members of Facebook.
  
  Here is the clearer and more comprehensive version from the new proposed policy:
  
  Viewing and editing your profile. You may change or delete your profile information at any time by going to your profile page and clicking "Edit My Profile." Information will be updated immediately. While you cannot delete your date of birth, you can use the setting on the info tab of your profile information page to hide all or part of it from other users. ...
  
  Deactivating or deleting your account. If you want to stop using your account you may deactivate it or delete it. When you deactivate an account, no user will be able to see it, but it will not be deleted. We save your profile information (friends, photos, interests, etc.) in case you later decide to reactivate your account. Many users deactivate their accounts for temporary reasons and in doing so are asking us to maintain their information until they return to Facebook. You will still have the ability to reactivate your account and restore your profile in its entirety. When you delete an account, it is permanently deleted. You should only delete your account if you are certain you never want to reactivate it. You may deactivate your account on your account settings page or delete your account on this help page.
  
  Limitations on removal. Even after you remove information from your profile or delete your account, copies of that information may remain viewable elsewhere to the extent it has been shared with others, it was otherwise distributed pursuant to your privacy settings, or it was copied or stored by other users. However, your name will no longer be associated with that information on Facebook. (For example, if you post something to another user's profile, and then you delete your account, that post may remain, but be attributed to an "Anonymous Facebook User.") Additionally, we may retain certain information to prevent identity theft and other misconduct even if deletion has been requested.
  
  Backup copies. Removed and deleted information may persist in backup copies for up to 90 days, but will not be available to others.
  
  We also have restructured the document — providing key points and easy links to jump to the different sections. We've added sections further explaining our current practices and introducing a new concept around Facebook Ads that we hope you'll take the time to review.
  
  Clarification of Current Practices
  
  In this revision, we're fulfilling our commitment to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to update our privacy policy to better describe a number of practices. Specifically, we've included sections that further explain the privacy setting you can choose to make your content viewable by everyone, the difference between deactivating and deleting your account and the process of memorializing an account once we've received a report that the account holder is deceased.
  
  We also have explained in greater detail how Social Ads work on Facebook. Social Ads are sponsored promotions that include relevant information about you and are shown only to your friends. For example, if you become a fan of a Page for your favorite new movie, your friends may see an ad that includes that information.
  
  Advertising on Facebook
  
  Over 300 million people around the world now use Facebook. More join every day. To support this growth and continue providing a free service that connects people and lets them share with whomever they choose, we've built a business that allows advertisers to selectively share their messages. Our goal is to make the ads you see on Facebook relevant and interesting. Period. We're constantly working to improve our systems to make sponsored material compatible with people's needs and curiosity.
  
  As we do this, we remain committed to protecting your privacy. The information we provide to advertisers is "anonymized," meaning that it can't be traced back to you as an individual in any way. For example, we won't tell an advertiser that you clicked on an ad, but we might report that, of the 100 people who clicked on the ad, 63 percent were female.
  
  Improving the Quality of Facebook's Ads
  
  In this update, we also have explained how we might use information from other sites to improve the quality of our ads. This information allows advertisers to do what is commonly called "conversion tracking," which helps them measure the effectiveness of their ads and make them more relevant. Most advertisers already do this in other places on the web. Should Facebook provide this, we'll continue to respect your privacy by not sharing your information with advertisers, and we'll anonymize any information we receive.
  
  In the past, we've provided a redline version of the new policy document we're proposing to make clear what's new. Unfortunately, in this case, the revision is so different from the current policy that this wasn't possible. You can read the proposed update in its entirety and post comments to the Facebook Site Governance Page before the comment period ends at 12:00 p.m. PST on Nov. 5. After the comment period is over, we'll review your feedback and update you on our next steps. We appreciate and strongly encourage your participation in this process.
  
  Elliot, Facebook's vice president of communications and public policy, thanks all of the privacy experts who informed the drafting of Facebook's proposed privacy policy.
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- Topics: Advertising, Site governance, Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (SRR), Privacy
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- Improving Sharing Through Control, Simplicity and Connection
  by Chris Kelly on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 11:11am
  UPDATE on Wednesday, July 8: We have begun testing the new privacy settings with a small percentage of users. Each user within the test group will see several Transition Tools that will help them select the level of privacy they are most comfortable with and introduce the new, simpler settings. Additionally, we'll be showing some of you in the test a survey about the transition experience, so please tell us what you think.
  
  The power to share is the cornerstone of Facebook. Privacy and the tools for tailoring what information is shared with... whom are at the heart of trust. Over the past five years, Facebook has learned that effective privacy is grounded in three basic principles:
  Control. When people can easily control the audience for their information and content, they share more and they're able to better connect with the people who matter in their lives.
  Simplicity. When tools are simple, people are more likely to use them and understand them.
  Connection. With effective tools, people can successfully balance their desire to control access to information with their desire to connect – to discover and be discovered by those they care about.
  That's why in the coming days, we'll be improving privacy on Facebook by launching a series of tests that guide people to new, simpler tools of control and connection.
  
  Control
  
  We're committed to giving people even greater control over the information they share and the audiences with whom they share it. At one extreme, we believe people should have the tools to "broadcast" information across the web and make it available to everyone. For example, back in March, we added an "Everyone" option to give people more control and enable them to share more broadly if they want, something that wasn't possible on Facebook before.
  
  At the other extreme, we want to give people the power to limit who should receive any particular piece of information they want to share. The Publisher Privacy Control, which we launched in a beta last week, allows you to decide who can see the content you publish on a per-post basis. For example, you may want to make some posts available to everyone, while restricting others to your friends and family. You should be able to make that decision every time you share something on Facebook, and soon you'll be able to do this.
  
  Just a few weeks ago, we started the process of phasing out regional networks, since they did not adequately reflect a world where people choose exactly the audience with whom they wish to share. Regional networks made sense for those who wanted to be more open when Facebook was small, but they lost their utility as the site became global.
  
  Now, if you want to share with a smaller, more targeted group, you have a number of options, including specific Friend Lists, all of your friends, your friends and people in your school or work networks, and friends of friends. To share with more people and contribute to the general conversation going on in the world, you can select "Everyone."
  
  Simplicity
  
  When we add new features to Facebook, we usually include a corresponding privacy setting. While this has helped give some people more individualized controls over particular features, the compounding effect of more and more settings has made controlling privacy on Facebook too complicated.
  
  With the test we're announcing today, we'll move towards simplifying these settings and putting them all on the same page. We'll also standardize the options we provide for each setting so the choices are always the same. Lastly, we'll remove overlapping settings to reduce confusion and combine profile fields that are similar, so you only have to make one decision.
  
  Connection
  
  In the next few days, we will begin to explore how to make the transition to the new settings. In the process, we will be asking you to revisit and reaffirm the way you present yourself on Facebook. To do this, we will be offering a Transition Tool that asks you to select your own level of sharing. We think Facebook is most useful when people can find and connect with each other, which is why this tool will enable you to make available those parts of your profile that you feel comfortable sharing in order to facilitate better connection. You will have the choice of being as open or as limited in the sharing of this information as you want.
  
  Two Important Notes
  
  First, we've designed the Transition Tool to respect previous decisions to limit access to information. If you have selected settings that restrict who has access to information, those choices are carried over to the new privacy settings.
  
  Second, none of the improvements we will be testing changes the information Facebook provides to advertisers. Facebook does not share personal information with advertisers except under the direction and control of a user. These new tools do not alter that policy or practice. You can feel confident that Facebook will not share your personal information with advertisers unless and until you want to share that information.
  
  The test we're launching today will include a small fraction of the total number of people on Facebook. This group will receive the new, simpler settings and one of six different versions of the Transition Tool. Over the next few weeks, we'll be collecting direct feedback from the testing group and using it to make improvements to the tool. Our goal is to ensure that people understand the changes to our privacy settings and make choices that reflect their comfort level. After the testing and feedback phase is complete, we expect to offer final versions of the tool and the new settings to everyone on Facebook.
  
  We're excited about having our users enjoy even greater control over how they share their content and information. We're confident that greater control will lead to richer and more useful sharing through Facebook.
  
  Chris Kelly, Facebook's chief privacy officer, is glad to be offering you more control.
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- Topics: Advertising, Privacy
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- How Many Friends Can You Have?
  by Sheryl Sandberg on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 1:23pm
  One of the most common questions we're asked at Facebook is, "How many friends can you have?" It's an increasingly important question as more people around the world share and connect on Facebook and on the Web overall, but it's also difficult to answer. While the average user on Facebook has 120 confirmed friend connections, that number doesn't account for all the different types of relationships people have in their lives. Thanks to recent research from the Facebook Data Team, we're getting closer to an answer.
  
  Earlier today, I gave a keynote... address at the Ad Age Digital Conference in New York in which I introduced a new way to look at the relationships people maintain on Facebook--what we're calling your "active network." Your active network consists of all the people with whom you stay up to date. What makes your active network different from other networks is the way you communicate with the people in it.
  
  Think about the ways you communicate with your friends--whether on or off Facebook. The communication likely falls into one of two traditional types: reciprocal communication or direct communication. Reciprocal communication is a conversation where messages are exchanged back and forth. This can include talking on the telephone, or on Facebook it can mean a Wall-to-Wall exchange or real-time chat. Direct communication occurs when you send a message to someone specific, with or without the expectation of a reply. It can be a one-way Inbox message or Wall post on Facebook, or sending an old fashioned letter or an e-mail.
  
  On Facebook, there's a third and new way you communicate--through the stream. Every time you log into your home page you see a running timeline or stream of the information being shared by your friends and the other things you're connected with on Facebook. The more people share, the more you see in the stream and the more you learn about your connections.
  
  This stream communication, rather than reciprocal and direct communication, forms your active network. Whenever you interact with a story in the stream--whether you "Like" a piece of content, comment on it or simply click on it--the person sharing it becomes part of your active network. When our Data Team measured active networks for users on Facebook, it found that, in any given month, users keep up with between 2 times and 4 times more people than through more traditional communication.
  
  The other impact of the active network is that it leads to greater connectedness between the people in someone's network. Take, for example, my colleague Alex Smith, one of the data researchers at Facebook. He is connected with co-workers, college friends, high school buddies and family--all on Facebook. As he engages in reciprocal and direct communication, there is little to no connectedness among the people in his network. His active network, though, is much denser, showing connections stretching across the different groups of friends in his network because his interactions in the stream make it easier for people in his network to find one another.
  
  With greater connectedness has come the ability for people to influence one another with more speed and efficiency. We've seen this lead to people spreading information and organizing events on a mass scale, often within days and weeks. For example, within weeks of T-Mobile airing an advertisement, Facebook users organized thousands of people to recreate the ad with a "Silent Dance" at the same station.
  
  Advertising on Facebook follows a similar pattern. Our Engagement Ads on the home page allow you to take common activities like commenting, RSVPing for an event or giving a virtual gift directly in the ad. If any of your friends have already taken an action, that appears in the ad as well. We've found that interaction with those ads increases 50 percent when someone sees a friend's action, such as a comment.
  
  We've only just begun to see the opportunities being created as people maintain more relationships and increase their influence.
  
  Sheryl Sandberg is Facebook's chief operating officer.
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- Topics: Research, Advertising
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